What If?
by Musicalroza999
Summary: What if things had been different during Twilight?  What if Edward had left the picture before it was even painted?  What if Jake had been part of the obsession, not just Edward?


**A/N: I got the idea for this fanfiction from KieshaIshtar! I'd been meaning to write this for a while and decided that it was a good idea to write it now!  
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**Yes Steph, we know, you own it!  
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There was something up with that guy, I just couldn't put my finger on what. Edward… was gorgeous, there was no denying that. But, there was something else. He was polite even when he was acting like he hated me. And as for that I was about to get whiplash from his mood swings. It was much too insane for my tastes, even though I had to admit I was intrigued. I didn't know what I was going to do, only that I had to get him off my mind somehow.

"Hey, Dad!" I called as I walked into the house. The living room and its pictures greeted me heavily. There was much too much bearing on my mind. I stopped to look at them, something I almost never do. I caught sight of one back behind the others, one that had fallen down what looked like years ago. I lift it up and see a younger version of myself and the face that can only belong to one person…

"Jacob" I smile. We were both completely covered in mud and carrying little pie tins filled with it. Mine was decorated prettily, with flowers and leaves and a pretty pebble right in the middle. That pebble was in the bracelet I always wore. Even when I didn't recognize Jacob Black I knew that pebble. He had given it to me to ask me to be his girlfriend (we were, like, 5) and told me about this tribe tradition about giving the prettiest stone to the prettiest girl in all the world. Suddenly I knew where I had to go. I realized I had to get back to a place where times were just a little bit simpler.

"Hey Bells!" Charlie said as he walked in from the kitchen. "I just got a call from Billy. Black, I mean. He wants to know if we want to come over. Harry Clearwater made him some fish fry and there's way too much for just him and Jake."

"That's… kind of perfect, actually." I said. It was true, and Charlie came over to see the picture in my hands.

"I'd forgotten about that. You kids were so cute. Look at you both now." He laughed wistfully.

"Jacob's a beast" I laughed too. Jake was pretty huge the last time I'd seen him, when he'd come to deliver the truck. My brain had made a joke about steroid usage but without knowing him better I didn't want to risk hurting him. Eventually we made our way out to my truck, which Charlie insisted on driving. It was an awkward silence throughout the trip, which was normal for us. We ended up in front of the little red house I knew so well.

"Hey guys! Bella, Jacobs out back in the garage. Charlie, I've got football on!" Billy yelled. Charlie moved towards that house faster than I'd ever seen him.

"Jake?" I yelled as I walked towards the garage.

"Bella?" He sounded so excited to see me as he jogged out of the garage. He was spotted in grease and his long hair was full of fly always from its ponytail. He ran over and grabbed me in a crushing hug. I have to say that I'm lucky I'm wearing an old tee shirt and a pair of jeans that will look a LOT better with the oil stains.

"Jake… can't… breathe!" I gasped. Okay, maybe the steroids comment would be appropriate.

"Sorry Bells! I just can't believe you came! Dad said he'd invited Charlie, but I figured you wouldn't be interested in the football." His face was lit up like a little kid's, and it's terribly cute. He's attractive too. He's not completely and totally perfect like Edward and the Cullens, but Jake… has something else. It's more rugged and insanely sexy. Wow, I never in a million years would've thought I'd say something about the little kid that was my mud pie making boyfriend.

"Well, I kind of wanted to see you too." I said, then stopped and blushed. Did I just say that?

"Oh really? Is it because of my crazy good looks? Or amazing ability with mechanics?" He sounded so completely sure of himself it was sad.

"Ha, that's funny, I thought we were talking about you!" I said innocently with a straight face.

"Hey there, no need to be mean!" He smiled.

"And there's no need to be full of yourself. Anyways, what are you working on in there?" I asked. I was genuinely curious. I remember him mentioning something about a Rabbit, but he might of finished it already. He never said how far it was from finished.

"The same Rabbit I told you about. Want to come see it?" He asked. I nodded and we went into the shed. It was nearly filled with a red VW Rabbit. It was a nice car, not my taste, but still good. The only detrimental feature was the fact that half the engine was scattered about the floor.

"WHOOOOOOTTTTT!" We heard cheers from the house.

"I'll go in there and get the food. I don't want to put you through the gauntlet trying to get it. I'm already scarred for life, I'll be all right!" He joked. He ran out before I could stop him though, so I just sat and waited for while he got the fish. During that time I noticed an old radio. I turned it on and listened to a pretty song. The little scroller on the bottom of the display read 'Where Soul Meets Body' by Death Cab for Cutie.

"I want to be where soouulll meets body…" Jacob sang along as he walked in the door. He balanced 2 sodas and 2 plates filled with fish and fries in his hands. I hurried to take the food from him and put it down on the bench near the car. I was taken off guard as Jake grabbed me and started dancing. I ended up stepping on his feet, but he didn't complain.

"What are you doing?" I exclaimed.

"I figured since you were still wearing my pebble I was entitled to dance with my girlfriend!" He laughed. He was watching me closely, looking to see if he had gone too far. I blushed… a lot… but was otherwise unphased.

"Well… It's kind of… comforting? I don't know. Things were always simpler when I was around you. I never wanted to leave that." I had a hard time putting it in to words. Life was a little brighter with Jake around. I'd remembered it from when I was a kid and had gotten it a little bit in that few minutes I'd seen him with the truck. It was nice having him back.

"Don't I feel special?" Jake laughed.

"You should! Anyways, do you know this song?" I changed the topic before it could go any further. I was having a great time being around Jake and I wanted to get to know him better again. He'd been my best friend and life wasn't complicated when I was with him. I wanted it to be like that again. It wouldn't be hard; I could feel it even then. I'd almost forgotten about Edward and his annoying whiplash inducing mood swings.

"Yeah, I do. Death Cab for Cutie's a great band. My favorite is Muse though. Or Framing Hanley." I'd heard of Muse, but Framing Hanley was new to me.

"I've heard OF Muse, although I haven't heard any of their songs. And I've never even heard of Framing Hanley." He let go of me and walked over to the stereo. He put a CD in and let it play, going over and getting some food. The music was amazing. I let it take me as I ate and was taken on this amazing journey. The first few are very distinct as a first artist. They were more rock than the second set. The second set had more of a feeling range and all of it was very vivid.

"The first set was Framing Hanley, the second set was Muse. Did you like?" He asked. He looked hopeful.

"Yes! It was amazing! Have you heard any Debussy? It's classical, but it's great. Oh, and I love Breaking Benjamin!" I exclaimed. We ended up on a long topic of music discussions and with long lists of artists written in Sharpie on our hands. Charlie called us out a few hours later.

"Bells? It's time for us to go! You've got school tomorrow!" I heard him call.

"It isn't really that…" I trailed off. I hadn't realized it, but it was dark.

"Oh shoot. I didn't realize how late it was!" Jake exclaimed. He grabbed me up in one of his huge bear hugs before sending me off. I didn't want to leave.

Standing in my room that night, I realized how much that visit changed my view of things. Jake was always there if I needed him. I didn't need to be so obsessive over the whole Edward Cullen thing; he wasn't the only thing out there. Even so, I wasn't looking forward with trying to keep that revelation straight when I was looking at him the next day…

**A/N: The Avant Garde awards fell through. My friend who nominated me used her sister (who has the same name as me)s email so they thought I nominated myself... whatever... anyways, new chapter up 11/2, promise! Love you all! Oh, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!  
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